Securing device



Jan. 4, 1949.

N. CHATTERTONJVU I 12358 252 I SECURING DE ICE Fild -Jan. 20,1944

Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a securing device.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved securing device bywhich a flexible element may readily be secured about one or morearticles and readily released therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved securingdevice which will firmly hold a fiexible filament by means of a simplehitch rather than a knot.

Another object is to provide an improved securing device which may beeasily and economically manufactured.

Another object is to provide an improved securing device which will besmall and easily stored and handled.

Another object is to provide an improved securing device which will becomposed of few, simple, and cheaply produced parts.

Another object is to provide an improved securing device which will beneat and attractive in appearance.

Another object is to provide an improved securing device in which thetension of the flexible filament may easily be adjusted.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be bettter understood from the description of severalpractical embodiments thereof, illustrated in the accompanying drawing,in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of securing device embodyingthe invention, being applied to a generally rectangular package, showingthe manner in which the binding filament is tightened;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the filament just as it is moved intolocking engagement;

Figure 3 is a perspective view, to an enlarged scale, of the filamentengaging element of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a modified form of filamentengaging element;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another form of filament engagingelement showing its application to an envelope, parts being in positionsthey assume when the engaging element is released;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, to an enlarged scale, of the filamentand filament engaging element of Figure 5 with closely associated partsof the envelope; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of another form of filamentengaging element secured to an envelope.

Referring first to the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the fasteningdevice consists of a flexible element of filament, such as a piece ofstring or cord I, having one end secured, as by a single knot 2 formedat one end, to the end of a securing element in the nature of a tag,frog, or toggle indicated generally at 3, the cord of filament passingthrough a hole in the tag so that the knot is pulled against one sidethereof.

The tag is fiat and generally elongated in shape, and in one side hasformed a deep notch or slot '4 penetrating approximately half its widthand inclined to form a kind of hook for receiving the filament l, thenotch preferably being somewhat wider than the filament and havingrelatively smooth edges, so that the filament can run through it easily.

Centrally of the end of the toggle which is remote from the hole throughwhich the filament passes is a tapered notch 5. The notch 5, the innerend of the slot 4, and the hole are all substantially in alignment,centrally of the tag.

In Figure 1 the securing device is shown as partially applied to agenerally rectangular package or stack of articles 6. It will be notedthat the filament extends partway across the top of the package, downthe far side, under the bottom, up the nearer side, and over the top ofboth the package and the toggle to the slot 4, than through this slotand along the underside of the toggle, its end being gripped between thethumb and fingers of the hand I of the user.

After looping the filament around the package as described, the cord maybe tightened by a pull of the hand, keeping the parts in the positionsindicated in Figure 1, the filament sliding through the slot 4, so thatthe tag acts somewhat in the manner of a fair-lead or dead-eye duringthis part of the operation.

When the operator has pulled the filament until he is satisfied with thetension upon it, he moves his hand to the left to bring the gripped endof the filament substantially under the center line of the tag and thenpulls the end upwardly as indicated in Figure 2.

This brings the filament up through the notch 5, and the tension uponthe filament causes it to wedge itself within this notch. The operatorcan now release his hold on the filament and it will be ti htlyretained, both by the friction between the filament and the sides of thenotch 5 and also because of the position of the two abrupt bends in thefilament and by friction where it passes under the tag between notches 4and 5.

The tag is conveniently made of any relatively stifi material, such assheet metal, heavy cardboard, fibre, or plastic material andconveniently may be punched from sheet stock. If molded, the end of thecord may be encased to secure it to the tag. The cord can be secured inany desired manner, as by stapling, adhesive, etc., but the hole andknot seeems to be the simplest manner of attachment.

The inner end of notch is most conveniently formed as a space withparallel sides, substantially narrower than the filament, so that thelatter will be very tightly gripped if it is brought to this narrowspace.

In Figure 4, a modified form of the tag is shown as of generallytriangular shape, having two slots I'M in its sides, corresponding tonotch 4 above described, and a single notch I05 in the side opposite theapex to which the filament H3! is attached.

Of course the notches I04 do not extend quite to the center line, butare sufiiciently deep that the tag is not swung very greatly from oneside to the other by tension of the cord.

In Figures 5 and 6, a tag is shown as directly connected to a flap 207of an envelope 2%. The filament 2m passes through an aperture in theback of the envelope and has its knotted end 202 projecting through awasher or patch 262a to afiord it a firm anchorage.

The tag itself has a somewhat arrow-like head 203 which is passedthrough parallel slots 208 in the envelope fiap, and the projecting endhas a slot 204 corresponding to slot l, above described, and a V-shapednotch 205 corresponding to notch 5.

It will be noted that when the envelope is in closed position, the innerend of slot 204 is substantially in alignment with the perforation ofthe envelope 296 through which the filament 2!)! extends.

To secure the flap to the body of the envlope, the cord is broughtupwardly through slot 206 and then downwardly into wedging engagementwith notch 205.

This alone firmly secures the flap to the envelope in an easilydetachable manner, but should a more permanent fastening be required,the cord may be wound around the head 2% and the opposite end of thetoggle one or more times, as indicated in Figure 6, being wedged betweenthese tag ends and the envelope and flap, and each turn more firmlysecuring the parts in closed relationship.

In Figure 7, the tag is shown as permanently secured to the envelopeflap by adhesive or the like, for this purpose having a flared end 303held by the adhesive by the underside of the flap. The cord 30! issecured in any desired manner and, the notches 3M and 305 correspondprecisely to the notches 2M and 205 of the preceding figure. This formof tag may be made integral with the envelope flap, particularly if thelatter 4 be reinforced by an extra ply of material glued to it.

While I have described the illustrated embodiments of my invention insome particularity, obviously many other embodiments, variations, andmodifications will readily occur to those skilled in this art, and I donot, therefore, limit myself to the precise details shown and describedherein, but claim as my invention all embodiments, modifications andvariations coming Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tying device for use with a flexible filament comprising a fiat taghaving a perforation through which a filament may be passed, the tagbeing formed to define a notch extending inwardly from one side of thetag at an intermediate point and a notch having tapered sides at theedge of the tag remote from said perforation, the inner end of the firstmentioned notch being substantially in alignment with and between theperforation and the second mentioned notch.

2. A tying device for use with a flexible filament comprising a fiat taghaving a perforation throu h which a filament may be passed, the tagbeing formed to define a notch extending inwardly from one side of thetag at an intermediate p'oint and a notch having tapered sides at theedge of the tag remote from said perforation, the inner end of the firstmentioned notch being substantially in alignment with and between theperforation and the second mentioned notch, the first mentioned notchbeing inclined to a line passing through the hole and a second mentionednotch at an acute angle on the side toward the perforation.

3. A tying device for use with a flexible filament comprising a fiatelongated generally rectangular tag'having a hole for securing afilament thereto adjacent one end, the tag being formed to define twonotches disposed at an obtuse angle to each other, one of said notchesbeing wider throughout than the thickness of the filament and extendinginwardly intermediate one side of the tag and the other of said notchesat the end of the tag remote from the hole tapering from a widthsubstantially greater than the thickness of the filament to a widthsubstantially less than the thickness of the filament. I

LLOYD N. C'HATTERTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

